The game of golf is widely played throughout the world. While it is thoroughly enjoyed by the players, it has two distinct disadvantages. In the first place, the typical golf course requires a large amount of land which must be very carefully maintained when used as a golf course. As available land becomes more scarce, the problem of economically providing adequate suitable land for a golf course becomes more acute. In the second place, because the typical golf course is spread over a good many acres, it requires considerable time to complete a typical game of eighteen holes.
Because of the factors mentioned above, it becomes very expensive of money and time to use a typical golf course for practicing one's game. As a result, numerous "driving ranges" have been constructed. Most driving ranges, however, do not have particularly pleasant surroundings. Few such driving ranges actually have target greens. People using the driving range are forced to use almost any target. Furthermore, in order to be at all realistic, it is necessary to simulate moving forward by repeated shots. This becomes very difficult on the driving range. Furthermore, the driving range to be at all realistic would have to include such things as sand traps and similar hazards which are encountered on a regular golf course. Moreover, while it is desired to minimize the amount of ground that is covered, if a true golf game is to be simulated, it is still desired to have provision for walking from hole to hole and for making approach shots from different angles depending upon where the ball has landed. In the normal driving range, this is impractical.